In the hope that it may save others a bad experience, here's what
happened recently to me with these vendors.
I placed an order with thebenzbin.com in July for a muffler and header
pipe and it was my worst internet buying experience ever. No email
confirmation, took almost 2 months to ship the muffler, which came
unboxed and all dented and mangled. Oh, and they charged my credit
card at the time the order was placed. Despite repeated phone calls
over 2 months, I could never get an answer as to the status of the
header pipe. Every time I called it was starting all over with
someone new. No returned phone calls and no response to emails
either. Finally, calling them again in early Sept, they told me
"Sir, the header pipe order was cancelled last week and your money
refunded." And how was I supposed to know this?
So, then I place the order for the header pipe with Carstuff.com over
the phone. The guy I spoke with looks up the part, assures me they
have it and can supply it. I even told him my experience with
TheBenzBin and asked if he ever heard of them. Answer: no
Well, a few days later, I go log back on to thebenzbin website to
check my return status and guess what? Incredibilly, it now shows a
new order, which is the one I placed over the phone with Carstuff.
So, clearly these 2 companies are linked.
So, now I get on the phone and call up Carstuff and read them the riot
act. Telling them I just went through 2 months of screwing around
with thebenzbin and now it looks like I've placed the same order all
over again with the same company for a part they can't supply.
Carstuff admitted they they did in fact have a business relationship
with thebenzbin and a shared order system. Exactlyt what the
connection is was vague. He assures me the muffler has already
shipped and the header pipe is sitting in the warehouse right next to
his building. I ask for tracking # for the muffler and he says he
will email it and also one for the header pipe. No email ever
comes. Both of these turn out to be lies. The muffler did not
ship until days later. They never had the header pipe and finally
refunded my money.
The guy at Carstuff told me to email pics for the RMA of the muffler
from thebenzbin to photos@usautoparts.com. So, since the guy at
carstuff can process RMA's for parts bought at thebenzbin, clearly
carstuff and thebenzbin are linked. Plus, now I have what appears to
be a third companies internet address, usautoparts.com.
If you go to the BBB for southern California and check out
usautoparts.com, they have an F rating.
http://www.labbb.org/BBBWeb/Forms/Business/CompanyReportPage_Expository.aspx?Com
panyID=100006368
I'd stay away from all the above companies.
I finally got the header pipe from Rusty's MB parts. He told me
right away that the header pipe was now only available direct from
MB. And he got it for me quickly at a good price.
-->> T.G. Lambach <<-- - 03 Jan 2008 19:58 GMT
Next time try: www.autohausaz.com

Signature
© 2007 T.G.Lambach. Publication in any form requires prior written
permission.
Tiger - 04 Jan 2008 00:32 GMT
Agreed... I get 90% of my parts from AutohausAZ.com
Long time ago, I did use Benzbin and they were good... but I think after a
while it was taken over and I stayed away... that was a long time ago. Price
weren't that good anyway so I shopped elsewhere.
Wan-ning Tan - 04 Jan 2008 06:02 GMT
Ditto.
I order from three places: Rusty (BuyMBParts.com), AutohausAZ and
RockAuto (non-MB parts). Rusty is very knowledgeable and ships fast.
He is at Atlanta and I am at DC. I usually receive his package the next
business day. AutohausAZ has the best price most of the time, though it
takes 7-10 days to reach me.
I haven't used TheBenzBin for 3-4 years. I am not sure what their
relationship is with the other vendors but I know TheBenzBin uses World
PAC as the supplier, like 90% of the online vendors. World PAC
developed the common online ordering system. Each vendor can customize
its own front end and set up its profit margin/mark up. All World PAC
systems have similar navigation and the same part number when going down
to the detail. So if TheBenzBin cannot get the header pipe, no other
World PAC vendor can get it either.
AutohausAZ doesn't use World PAC system. Rusty maybe but he can always
find what I want, even if I can't find anywhere online.
> Agreed... I get 90% of my parts from AutohausAZ.com
>
> Long time ago, I did use Benzbin and they were good... but I think after a
> while it was taken over and I stayed away... that was a long time ago. Price
> weren't that good anyway so I shopped elsewhere.
heav - 04 Jan 2008 10:28 GMT
I had a bad experience with BenzBin about two years ago. I ordered
rebuilt Bosch fuel injectors for my 300TDT and one of them leaked. I
had to return it, and it was a long pain in the a.s to ever get the
core charges straightened out.
I don't do business with them anymore.
I like autohauz too.